Chapter 57:

Besides her salary, Yu Xiang’an had another overt way to earn extra income—she could continue writing articles, which she had never stopped doing over the years. The accumulated royalties had brought her a considerable sum of money.

Of course, what Yu Xiang’an gained more was reputation. In Baishi County, her name was familiar to many, and when she went out with others, it was easy for conversations to turn to this topic. After a few exchanges, they would often become friends.

Now that she was in the provincial capital, the competition would be fiercer, but if she stood out, her fame would also grow. Yu Xiang’an was still quite confident about this.

She also discussed with Lin Chuanbai the idea of making things to exchange with others in the future. This was already a common practice in Baishi County. Lin Chuanbai thought it was feasible, but they shouldn’t take too big a step at once—they should proceed gradually.

Lin Chuanbai, meanwhile, continued making mosquito repellent ointment, as mosquitoes were a universal problem. His previous sales had been good, and he didn’t think they would be much worse here, though business might slow down in winter when there weren’t as many mosquitoes. Besides the ointment, he could also research other small, practical items for daily use.

They discussed various ways to gradually increase their household income. After calculating their finances and finding it manageable, the two exchanged a smile and began making preparations.

They wouldn’t act immediately, but they would lay the groundwork. Any real action would have to wait until they moved into their new house and settled into their new jobs.

The exterior of the house remained unchanged, but the interior was renovated for comfort. They divided it into two rooms—the inner one as their bedroom and the outer one as the living room. Outside, they built a kitchen and a toilet, enclosed by a wooden fence. Come spring, they would plant some greenery to enhance privacy.

Additionally, the storage room had a cellar at the back, a common feature in the area. This would make it much more convenient for Yu Xiang’an to store things in the future.

The two of them had everything well-organized. Lin Houpu had expected them to ask for his help, but they didn’t. The two children had managed their lives independently without much intervention from him, which left Lin Houpu feeling a little disappointed.

He had hoped they would tell him what they needed so he could assist them.

Lin Duzhong noticed his son’s disappointment and sighed softly.

There was no helping it. His son had been absent from his grandchildren’s lives for so long that the children had learned to stand on their own. Now, with such a major decision, they had made up their minds without hesitation. The only areas where they had sought their father’s help were finding a house and securing their jobs—everything else they handled themselves. Such self-reliance meant they could thrive anywhere, which was reassuring for parents, but sometimes parents just wanted to help.

Lin Duzhong also knew that his son still harbored some regret for not being there for them all these years.

There was also the incident where Lin Chuanbai’s university spot was taken by someone else, leading to his severe illness and the subsequent estrangement.

Thinking of this, Lin Duzhong sighed again.

Times were better now—the country was at peace, and there would be no more wars like before. But there was still much progress to be made. His three children were all doing well in their respective careers, with the eldest being the most accomplished as a soldier defending the nation. For soldiers, separation from family was the norm—unless their wives followed them to the barracks, their children often grew up apart from them. Some didn’t even meet their parents until they were teenagers.

This inevitably affected the bond between father and child. Relationships were built through time spent together; blood ties were just a connection.

Given the existing estrangement due to various reasons, Lin Duzhong didn’t force his second grandson to reconcile with his father. Now that they were all in the same place, he believed that with more interaction, their relationship would improve over time.

So Lin Duzhong comforted Lin Houpu, advising him to see how far the two children could go on their own.

“You never listened to me when I told you what to do before, so don’t interfere too much now,” he said. He had never wanted his son to join the military, yet he had ended up enlisting anyway.

Lin Houpu: “…” He had no rebuttal.

Lin Chuanbai and Yu Xiang’an were unaware of these thoughts. They were focused on starting their new lives in this unfamiliar place.

The bookstore where Yu Xiang’an worked was neither large nor small. Besides her, there were four others: the manager Liu Hengbo, two clerks, and a helper responsible for moving things. Among the five, Yu Xiang’an was the youngest, while the manager, in his fifties, was the oldest.

Yu Xiang’an spoke fluent Mandarin, and since the local dialect in the north was quite similar to standard Mandarin, communication wasn’t an issue.

Moreover, the others knew she had some “background,” so they treated her politely, and there was no hazing of newcomers.

Yu Xiang’an was diligent in her work and cherished books, which further improved their impression of her.

No one wanted a colleague who didn’t respect books. There had been one before who treated books carelessly, tossing them around, which had pained everyone to watch.

Yu Xiang’an was also eager to learn. When there were no customers, she would read or write articles. Liu Hengbo, knowing she had been submitting articles before, encouraged her to continue and even helped her familiarize herself with local newspapers and magazines to find the best fit for her style.

This quickly became a bonding point between them.

As they grew closer, Yu Xiang’an discovered that the bookstore was full of hidden talents. The manager was a university graduate—though why he was working as a bookstore manager remained a mystery. With his extensive knowledge, he often provided insightful answers to her questions.

Having just graduated not long ago, Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai hadn’t completely left the academic mindset behind. Though this world differed somewhat from theirs, the general trends were similar. They knew the college entrance exams would eventually resume, so they never completely abandoned their studies.

They understood that if they stopped studying now, picking it up again later would be painful. But not abandoning studies was different from mastering them.

While they had no issues with English, math, physics, or chemistry, they had to relearn politics and history from scratch—these subjects were different here.

A small deviation could lead to a huge mistake.

And the bookstore manager happened to specialize in history, effortlessly citing classical texts.

What luck!

Yu Xiang’an felt fortunate, and Liu Hengbo felt the same.

Their bookstore had inadvertently offended some troublemakers. Certain books were supposed to be destroyed, but they couldn’t bear to do so—these were rare treasures!

They had secretly hidden some away, but somehow, a local thug grew suspicious and began lurking around, trying to find evidence. This left them nervous, as there were indeed things in the bookstore that couldn’t be exposed.

Though they had hidden them well, a thorough search might still uncover them.

Yu Xiang’an didn’t know the full details, only that troublemakers were lurking nearby, threatening safety. After learning of the situation, she deliberately had two uniformed young men escort her while delivering something. Their mere presence scared the troublemakers away.

To Liu Hengbo, the new hire had effortlessly resolved the issue.

Beyond being diligent and careful, she was also an excellent cook.

She gave everyone a small jar of homemade chili bean paste. Though not expensive, it was gratefully received. Once they tasted it at home, they were stunned.

This was no ordinary skill!

It wasn’t anything rare—they had all eaten similar things before—but hers was the kind that left you craving more.

She mentioned that besides studying, she loved cooking and experimenting with different dishes.

In addition to chili bean paste, she could make chili sauce, fermented soybean paste, and meat sauce. When she brought her lunch to work and shared it, everyone was impressed.

Thus, Yu Xiang’an’s first “business” opportunity arose—the manager asked her to make him a jar of chili bean paste and a jar of meat sauce. He was a widower with children living elsewhere, raising only a young grandson. His cooking was mediocre, but with these sauces, even simple dishes would taste better.

Instead of paying her, he gave her a bag of red dates—sent by his son from the frontier.

Yu Xiang’an assured him, “Manager, just wait—I’ll make sure it’s delicious.”

Following his lead, others also asked for her help, offering items in exchange. Yu Xiang’an agreed without hesitation—this was exactly what she wanted.

Through these exchanges, their initially distant relationships quickly warmed.

With them as a starting point, her “business” network gradually expanded.

She had a principle: no money exchanged, only “voluntary” help. Unlike Gao Yimei, accepting money could lead to trouble—someone might report her.

But bartering? Even if reported, there was nothing to investigate. If this were punishable, then friends and family might as well stop interacting altogether and live in isolation.

While Yu Xiang’an settled smoothly into the bookstore, Lin Chuanbai was also doing well. His genuine skills shone during tests—no one matched his ability to identify and process medicinal herbs. If he hadn’t been selected, it would have been pure favoritism.

People respected competence.

Though he wasn’t talkative, his quiet demeanor made him seem more trustworthy, and others often confided in him.

It was no secret that Chen Jinde had brought him in. Knowing his background yet seeing his lack of arrogance earned him goodwill.

When they learned he had some “family recipes,” some even tried them and found them effective, affordable, and practical—so they asked for his help.

When asking for help, it was only natural to offer something in return.

…

After they started working, the children were sent to daycare as before. With so many employees, the machinery factory had its own daycare and even an elementary school.

Lin Duzhong was also around to keep an eye on them. Lin Yihong and Lin Yining were used to it—though their previous teachers were gone, they quickly adjusted with their grandfather’s company.

The house was soon renovated. The exterior of the storage room remained unchanged, but the interior was transformed—walls painted white, floors re-cemented. The front half was the living room, the back half the bedroom, which only had a large bed—a kang (heated brick bed), essential for surviving the harsh winters here.

For now, the twins slept with them. Beyond this, the left side had a remodeled toilet, the right side a kitchen, and the back a cellar. Most furniture was secondhand from recycling stations, repaired by craftsmen. The only new item was the kang.

After airing out the place, they moved in.

The new house was conveniently located near their workplaces, though they had to spend some time daily taking the children to daycare—a task Lin Chuanbai took on.

Li Yujiao thought they were making things unnecessarily difficult for themselves.

Why bother?

Though she was glad to see it, she truly couldn’t understand their thinking.

Old Lin’s status here was high—the machinery factory was one of the top three in the area!

Not to mention the leaders owed him a huge favor.

Before, Old Lin hadn’t held as much sway in the factory and had to contend with rivals. But now, no one dared oppose him openly. With such a father, their aloofness struck Li Yujiao as naive.

Then again, growing up in a small place, their perspective was naturally limited. They didn’t realize what they could gain if Old Lin was willing to help.

*

Yu Xiang’an quickly grew close to Liu Qing, another female clerk at the bookstore. A local of Qincheng, Liu Qing often gave her tips, such as buying coal.

Most households here relied on coal, and if they didn’t stock up in time, a sudden snowstorm in winter could make life miserable.

She also advised her to prepare pickled vegetables, potatoes, and cabbage. With the weather cooling, snow wasn’t far off.

Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai had warm clothes, but they weren’t enough for here—where temperatures could drop below -20°C in winter, unlike their hometown, where snow was rare.

Yu Xiang’an found it quite challenging to make clothes herself—she simply didn’t have that skill. Now that she was here, without someone like Yao Cuifen to help her, she had no intention of doing it herself either. Instead, she bought the materials directly and, following Liu Qing’s recommendation, went to a tailor to have them made.

The tailor’s designs were stylish, warm, and relatively affordable. While the clothes at the department store were fashionable, they were too expensive. It was much better to source her own materials and have an experienced tailor custom-make them based on her measurements.

Yu Xiang’an first had an outfit made for herself. Pleased with the result, she brought Lin Chuanbai and their two children along to have winter coats, cotton shoes, and padded trousers made for them. She even had a full set of winter clothing prepared for Lin Duzhong.

With the clothes sorted, pickled vegetables and preserves were no trouble for her. She prepared them one by one, finding the whole process quite novel.

Before arriving in this world, she had been a southerner. She had visited the north before, but only for short trips—just skimming the surface. Now, she was fully immersed in the daily life here.

In this region, buying beef and lamb was relatively convenient. Yu Xiang’an took the opportunity to bring out some of her stored supplies from her space to improve the family’s meals. Some of the meat was turned into jerky, which the two children loved to gnaw on whenever they pleased.

After a long stay in the hospital, Lin Houpu was finally discharged. Worried about a relapse, the hospital had kept a close eye on him. In the past, Lin Houpu would have insisted on leaving as soon as he could walk, but this time, the scare had made him more cautious about his health. He understood that the hospital was acting in his best interest, so he endured, even conducting work from his hospital bed. When the doctors finally gave him the all-clear, he remained composed on the surface but inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

To celebrate his return, Lin Houpu specifically invited Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai back for a family meal. The dishes were prepared by the canteen chef and brought home. Li Yujiao’s cooking skills were average, nowhere near as good as the canteen chef’s.

The large round table was packed with nine people: Lin Duzhong, Lin Houpu, Li Yujiao, Lin Tiandong, Zhang Ying, and Yu Xiang’an’s family of four.

Lin Duzhong was overjoyed—his son had fully recovered and was finally home, putting his mind at ease.

Li Yujiao was genuinely happy too. If Lin Houpu had passed away, what would have become of her and her young son? Her face brightened with relief.

Lin Houpu was also in high spirits. He had narrowly escaped death, and soon, his factory would be receiving new equipment to expand production. His second son’s family lived in the same city, and his adorable grandchildren were clever and lively.

Zhang Ying was relieved as well. Even though he was still young, he understood that if something had happened to Uncle Lin, he would have had to go live with his sister—but her family didn’t welcome him. They saw him as a burden, and he knew he was one—too young to support himself, forced to rely on others. But Uncle Lin had never treated him that way.

Now that Uncle Lin was back, Zhang Ying could finally relax.

Lin Houpu rarely drank, but today was special. He brought out a bottle of liquor: “Come, let’s all have a drink to celebrate.”

Lin Yining watched as he poured, her big round eyes shining. She clapped her hands excitedly: “Grandpa, me too!” Judging by his reaction, it must be something delicious—she wanted to try it!

Lin Houpu laughed heartily, dipping a tiny drop onto her spoon. “Alright, my granddaughter wants a taste too. See if you like it.”

Children weren’t supposed to drink, but this was mild rice wine, and it was just a drop. Neither Lin Chuanbai nor Yu Xiang’an objected.

Lin Yihong extended his spoon: “Grandpa, me too.” He also wanted to try.

Lin Houpu obliged with another drop. Lin Tiandong, who had secretly tasted his father’s liquor before, wrinkled his nose. Alcohol didn’t taste good—why did they all want to drink it?

The atmosphere was warm when someone knocked on the door. Yu Xiang’an, being the closest, went to answer it.

The visitor was Zhang Yue. She had gone to the hospital earlier that day and only then learned that Lin Houpu had been discharged. She had hurried over with a gift, not intending to arrive during mealtime. Now, standing awkwardly before the crowded table, she said, “I just went to the hospital and found out Uncle Lin was discharged.”

Lin Houpu nodded. “That’s thoughtful of you. Have you eaten?”

Zhang Yue: “Not yet.”

Li Yujiao: “Then join us. Here, take a seat—I’ll get you a bowl and chopsticks.”

Li Yujiao didn’t think much of Zhang Yue, but out of respect for her late father—Lin Houpu’s comrade-in-arms—she maintained politeness. Besides, Zhang Yue was already married. There were plenty of people trying to benefit from connections—one more or less didn’t matter.

Zhang Ying was delighted to see her. “Sis!”

Lin Duzhong and the others were familiar with her. During Lin Houpu’s hospitalization, many people had visited, and she had been one of the more frequent ones.

She took the only empty seat, smiling at Zhang Ying before her gaze drifted to the table. The spread of dishes made her mouth water.

Braised lamb ribs, bone broth, stewed pork with pickled cabbage, ginger-braised pork knuckles—all hearty dishes.

It had been a long time since she’d had meat. At home, any meat bought was reserved for the men and children. At most, she got to sip some broth.

She glanced at Zhang Ying.

Her little brother was living the good life here.

If only she had married a few years later…

After the meal, Yu Xiang’an helped clean up before leaving promptly. Zhang Yue seemed to have something to discuss and lingered behind. Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai didn’t pry—it wasn’t their business.

Later, they heard a snippet from Lin Duzhong.

Zhang Yue wanted to find a job—one she could hold onto until Zhang Ying was older, then pass it on to him.

Yu Xiang’an: “…”

Too many thoughts, no words.

Leaving aside how she planned to secure the job, would her in-laws even agree to her handing it over to Zhang Ying years later? People change—would she still be willing by then?

*

It was a rest day, and snow had begun to fall—the first snowfall of the year.

At first, it was gentle, just a few scattered flakes. But overnight, it turned into a heavy snowfall.

When morning came, both adults and children were amazed.

Lin Chuanbai cleared the snow from the roof while the two little ones, bundled up like snowballs, frolicked in the yard, catching snowflakes with their gloved hands. Seeing this, Yu Xiang’an wrapped their scarves tighter, worried they might catch a chill, before joining in the fun.

She wanted to build snowmen—lots of them!

Big and small, lined up neatly in a row.

The once-pristine snow was soon trampled into slush, their excitement mirroring that of southerners seeing snow for the first time.

The snow continued for two days.

Yu Xiang’an prepared a hotpot base, and the family gathered around the bubbling pot.

Winter was the perfect season for hotpot.

With several pounds of lamb as the base, plus fish slices, meatballs, radish, cabbage, tofu, bean sprouts, and rehydrated wood ear mushrooms and kelp—all paired with Yu Xiang’an’s homemade dipping sauce—Lin Chuanbai happily stuffed his face.

Outside, snow fell. Inside, they feasted on hotpot. The only thing missing was a hot spring.

The tide of history surged forward. Even if some branches grew in different directions, the main course remained unchanged.

By now, the end was near. Some places remained tense, while others had already sensed the shifting winds.

On an individual level, some held firm to their convictions, enduring hardships without abandoning their beliefs. Others had long since drifted with the current, forgetting their original intentions.

In the winter of 1975, Yu Xiang’an received two unusual letters—one from Lan Wangshan, the other from her sister-in-law, Wen Ruzhen.